The Wires (Sep 20, 2008)

Kurt Hanson: "One of the fallacies that is floating around is that Internet radio is poorly monetized," said Pandora founder Tim Westergren in an interview with ZDNet. SoundExchange has recently argued that webcasters, "have done too little to make money from playing their songs," in response to complaints that the Internet royalty rate is too high. "That is not true," responded Westergren. "We're just being charged more than other forms of radio." Read more of Westergren's response to SoundExchange in today's issue of RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter, at http://www.kurthanson.com.

From Insideradio: AMs on FM appear to be here to stay. FCC chair Kevin Martin expects to move forward on finalizing rules for FM translators for AM stations at this month's Commission meeting. While questions about the impact on LPFMs remain, Martin says it's an opportunity "to use the spectrum as efficiently as possible". The FCC has already issued about 150 temporary waivers allowing AMs to begin simulcasting on FM translators.

The 2008 NAB Marconi Radio Award Winners Announced

Gary Lycan's L.A. Radio Column

Inside Music Media: National Association of Broadcasters CEO David Rehr insulted the hard working people who put up with the indecision makers holding them hostage every day by saying "Radio needs people who believe". To me this sounds a lot like Jim Jones asking the faithful to step up and drink the very Kool-Aid that will immediately kill them. Rehr, apparently forgetting that when he points one finger at the program directors, general managers and sales people in today's radio industry, he also has three fingers pointing back squarely at himself

Houston Chronicle: When a hurricane like Ike knocks out electrical power for masses of people, they revert to two old-fashioned sources of immediate news. Rumor and radio. Radio is by far preferable. But the radio news landscape - once rich with the likes of Edward R. Murrow with his "This (pause) is London" dispatches as Nazi bombs rained down on that city — is now as barren as the Bolivar Peninsula. For radio, the erosion was slow, beginning during the Carter administration when radio deregulation removed requirements saying that, in exchange for public airwaves, stations had to render substantial public service. For most, that meant news operations

"All Comedy Radio" - www.allcomedyradio.com - A unique and diverse format service is currently on HD-2 stations 24/7 in Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Denver, Kansas City, Memphis, New Orleans, Buffalo and others. For affiliate information for your HD-2 station contact: Al Perrotta at acrnews@mac.com

FMQB: FCC Chairman and Commissioners Talk Localism

RadioandRecords.com: R&R Convention: No Harmony On Performance Rights. Radio's showdown with the music industry over proposed performance royalties erupted into a war of words at the R&R Convention Friday morning (Sept. 19) with opponents arguing the fees would "destroy the radio industry" and advocates saying it's time to level the media playing field.

The Wires (Sep 19, 2008)

Marketwatch: iBiquity Digital, the developer of digital HD Radio technology for AM and FM audio and data broadcasting, today announced significant momentum in the expansion of HD Radio content for HD2/HD3 multicast channels, including new audio formats and groundbreaking consumer data services.

Inside Music Media: Best Buy, the big box electronics giant, just forked over a relatively small $127 million in cash (easy for me to say, right?) to buy Napster. Two things: 1. Napster is over -- way over. 2. Napster isn't coming back. Nonetheless, give Best Buy some credit for at least thinking out of their big box and understanding a reality that will affect them soon -- the next generation doesn't live in record stores. Often, they don't even live in electronics stores.

New Content Comes To HD Radio. ESPN, NPR and others to launch exclusive content for HD Radio side channels.

All Access: Country KKGO (GO COUNTRY)/LOS ANGELES is launching “GO CLASSIC COUNTRY,” dedicating its HD2 signal to Classic Country. The new format will launch on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd with a ‘mix’ of Classic Country artists such as LORETTA LYNN and JOHNNY CASH, spanning up to stars like REBA McENTIRE and GARTH BROOKS.

The Wires (Sep 18, 2008)

Randy Dotinga: Lessons learned in radio days. In some ways, the summer of 1998 ---- when I started writing this column ---- seems like a very long time ago. We'd never heard of iPods, "Survivor" or a tiny Alaska town called Wasilla. Our cell phones didn't have cameras, our cars didn't have GPS and the cost of gas ---- oh, let's not go there. Instead, let's go here, right now. Radio is a part of almost all of our lives ---- just about every one of us tunes in each day. How much --- and how little ---- has radio changed in the past 10 years? Then: Radio was live and local ---- mostly. Now: Radio is live and local ---- sometimes. Then: Radio cared about older listeners Now: Radio couldn't care less about older listeners Then: Radio news was a big deal Now: Not anymore Then: Creativity and consistency led to on-air success Now: Ditto

NY Daily News: It's a little tricky measuring the impact of WNYZ (87.7 FM, better known as "Pulse-87," but program director Joel Salkowitz says that "all the indications" he's gotten are encouraging.

Seeking Alpha: Currently Sirius XM Radio has about 19,000,000 subscribers. The company, at this point, should give consideration to any and all avenues to generate enough cash from that subscriber base to put themselves in a position to either better negotiate with lenders, or better yet pay down that debt.

Inside Music Media: Remember when the Buggles song "Video Killed the Radio Star" launched MTV - Music Television back in the 80's? Who would have thought back then that the singing radio obituary would one day be a death notice for the record business - and while we're at it - MTV, itself. That's where I think we are.

WESTWOOD ONE is celebrating the fact that "The DENNIS MILLER Show" has surpassed 200 affiliate stations across AMERICA, including all of the top-15 markets. "I'm thankful to all my affiliates and will continue to yack my tokus off for them," MILLER said.

The Wires (Sep 17, 2008)

Cincy Enquirer: When deadly hurricane-force winds blew through the region Sunday, most radio stations relied on their listeners to provide news reports. Why? Because most stations don’t have reporters to cover events. “With corporate ownership wanting to show bigger and bigger profits, news departments are cut. They’re expensive to operate,” said John W. Owens, an University of Cincinnati electronic media associate professor.

Fone Show: Is radio going the way of the dinosaurs? “Not yet. The industry need to realize that they're in the content business, not the broadcasting business. They need to understand that their primary competitive asset is the people who use their voices and minds to influence, entertain, and educate -- not the transmitters, towers and FCC licenses for which they paid so dearly - They're in the audio content business -- it should not matter how that audio is distributed

Sun Times: The idiots who've ruined radio are up to their old tricks again. This time around, the loss of jobs and destruction of localism has hit Metro Networks/Shadow Broadcast Services, thanks to sweeping cutbacks by parent company Westwood One - Westwood One bosses say they plan to consolidate Metro Networks' 60 operation centers into 13 regional hubs

Rabbitt Report: From Jimmy Rabbitt -- This week in Rock 'n Roll history, Led Zeppelin knocked The Beatles off the top of the Melody Maker's annual poll this week in 1970. The Fab Four officially disbanded months earlier, and Led Zeppelin had released two of their best selling albums in 1969. The LP was full of radio-friendly songs like “You Shook Me,” “Dazed and Confused,” “Communication Breakdown,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “Heartbreaker,” “What is and What Should Never Be” and “Ramble On.” They were 'teen idols' for sure! (yes kids but - they were all in their 20's)

The Wires (Sep 16, 2008)

USA Today: Best Buy will acquire Napster.

About: Did you catch the 34th season premiere of Saturday Night Live? The show is known for creating its own mock commercials but the September 13 show featured real advertising pitchmen and even a spoof of a cell phone company's commercial .

Chicago Tribune: It's Internet radio on the go, and the trend is emerging as a potentially disruptive market force, putting into question the need for a satellite radio service or even the purchase of music. The reason: The music - and sometimes news, sports talk or a favorite out-of-town radio station - is free, and such Web-based feeds are starting to spread across the device landscape like weeds after a storm (read more - Eric Benderoff - Chicago Tribune)

Texting, We Hardly Knew Ya! “People have moved on from texting,” said Carla Thompson, senior analyst at the Guidewire Group, a marketing research firm in San Francisco. “Just typing in what you are doing is no longer enough. That’s why the field of live video streaming is burgeoning” (read more - Anne Eisenberg - NY Times)

FMQB: Citadel Threatened With De-Listing From NYSE.

Radio Ink: 'El Cucuy' Leaves KLAX/Los Angeles. Renan Almendarez Coello -- "El Cucuy" -- is leaving his morning show on Spanish Broadcasting System's KLAX (La Raza)/Los Angeles to work on building a radio network and developing talent for his record label, Michel Productions

Top 5 Headlines Of The Week (Sep 8-14, 2008)

4. Channel 8 Programmer Prefers Soap and Chick Talk Shows Over U.S. Open. CBS, get your affilliation moved to another station.

3. XP AntiVirus 2009 Sucks Sucks Sucks.

2. Sarah Palin appears on Saturday Night Live. Oops. I meant Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin.

1. Errant Whistle. Fumble Becomes Incomplete Pass. Denver Wins Because Of It. Ed Hochuli Screwed Up Big Time!